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Breast Cancer Research
Published in: Breast Cancer Research 4/2005

01-08-2005 | Review

Basal cytokeratins and their relationship to the cellular origin and functional classification of breast cancer

Authors: Barry A Gusterson, Douglas T Ross, Victoria J Heath, Torsten Stein

Published in: Breast Cancer Research | Issue 4/2005

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Abstract

Recent publications have classified breast cancers on the basis of expression of cytokeratin-5 and -17 at the RNA and protein levels, and demonstrated the importance of these markers in defining sporadic tumours with bad prognosis and an association with BRCA1-related breast cancers. These important observations using different technology platforms produce a new functional classification of breast carcinoma. However, it is important in developing hypotheses about the pathogenesis of this tumour type to review the nomenclature that is being used to emphasize potential confusion between terminology that defines clinical subgroups and markers of cell lineage. This article reviews the lineages in the normal breast in relation to what have become known as the 'basal-like' carcinomas.
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Metadata
Title
Basal cytokeratins and their relationship to the cellular origin and functional classification of breast cancer
Authors
Barry A Gusterson
Douglas T Ross
Victoria J Heath
Torsten Stein
Publication date
01-08-2005
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Breast Cancer Research / Issue 4/2005
Electronic ISSN: 1465-542X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/bcr1041

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